Who we are:  

At IREX, we strive for a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world—where individuals reach their full potential, governments serve their people, and communities thrive.    

But around the globe, persistent poverty, repression, and injustice prevent too many people from achieving their full potential. To address these problems, we focus on people, not on vaccines, roads, or wells. We support individuals and institutions to create change in their own communities and to create person-to-person bridges between nations.    

IREX works with partners in more than 100 countries in four areas essential to progress: cultivating leaders, empowering youth, strengthening institutions, and increasing access to quality education and information.    

We are doers. Our decades of on-the-ground experience help us create greater impact, practical recommendations, and lasting partnerships. 

Summary of Responsibilities:  

IREX seeks a qualified expert consultant in Inclusive Education to provide organizational and programmatic support. The Inclusive Education consultant will support IREX’s USAID Early Grade Education Activity in Jordan. 

Policies, Practices, and Resource Research Review Conduct a comprehensive review of existing inclusive education practices, MoE policies, and IE resources for vulnerable children, particularly children with disabilities in early grades (KG-3 grade). Desk review of most promising IE practices in early grade education models for children with disabilities in the Middle East region   

Identify Inclusive Education and Policy Gaps: Identify main gaps, challenges, and opportunities to integrate or enhance inclusive education approaches and/or interventions within Asas's scope of work and level of education interventions. Collaborate closely with the Asas policy manager to identify policy gaps. 

Recommendations: Develop recommendations for implementing evidence-based strategies and interventions to promote inclusivity in curricula, TLM, CPD, and other materials in early grades.  

Public Insight Analysis: Collaborate with stakeholders, including educators, administrators, parents, and students, to gather input and insights specific to barriers and opportunities for early childhood and early grades education for children with disabilities  

 Design and Deliver Training Workshops: Design and deliver training sessions or workshops on inclusive education principles, strategies, and best practices tailored for early grades.  

 Implementation: Provide ongoing technical support and practical guidance to integrate IE into Asas project activities throughout the implementation of recommended initiatives.  

 Reporting: Prepare and deliver comprehensive reports detailing findings, recommendations, and outcomes relevant to inclusive education in early grades.  

DELIVERABLES 

• Asas Inclusive Education Report: After the listening forum, review the Asas Inclusive Education Analysis (Sept 2023) paper developed by IREX as one of the deliverables.  

• Inclusive Education Stakeholders Mapping: Mapping of Inclusive Education and stakeholders in Jordan related to early grades. 

• Inclusive Education Best Practices White Paper: Desk review of most promising IE practices in early grade education models for children with disabilities in the Middle East region     

• Inclusive Education Policies White Paper: Review all Inclusive Education policies in Jordan and provide recommendations.  

• Inclusive Education in Pre-Service Education: Outline of courses or training modules on how to integrate Inclusive Education in pre-service curricula and CPD for professors.  

• Inclusive Education in In-Service Education: Outline training modules in different modalities to integrate Inclusive Education in CPD.  

MINIMUM PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS 

• Bachelor’s Degree: a bachelor’s degree in education, special education, or a related field. This provides foundational knowledge about teaching practices, learning differences, and inclusion AND/OR Master’s Degree (Preferred): Pursuing a master’s degree in special education, inclusive education, or a related area can enhance expertise. It allows consultants to delve deeper into research, policy, and best practices. 

• Other Relevant Certifications: Depending on the region and context, additional certifications related to special education, diversity, or equity may be valuable 

Experience:  

• Required Skills & Experience 
  At least 10 years of experience working within the field of inclusive 
  education  
  Experience working with an NGO  
  Experience working for US Government donors (ex USAID) 
  Demonstrated experience working with the MoE 
  Demonstrated strong skills in report writing 
  Demonstrated understanding of policy analysis and policy reform 
  Ability to review curriculum and teaching materials and provide critical 
  feedback analysis 

• Continuing Professional Development: Staying updated on research, attending conferences, and participating in workshops ensures ongoing growth. 

SALARY REQUIREMENT 
Please provide a desired DAILY RATE for consultancy services with this application.  

WORK ENVIRONMENT  

The consultant will work remotely while developing curriculum content. The consultant may travel to facilitate in-person workshops, meetings, etc., but the consultant will deliver content virtually if unable to travel.